Still shopping

Returns, gift cards are keeping stores busy

Day-after-Christmas shopping got off to a slow start Wednesday, but crowds of South Floridians headed out by lunchtime to make returns, hunt for bargains and spend holiday cash.

"There's not as many deals as we were expecting," said Bianca Fuentes, 28, visiting from Denver and shopping at Sawgrass Mills mall in Sunrise with her mother, Kathy Fuentes, 45, and sister, Lauren Fuentes, 17, both of Weston.

The Fuentes sisters together spent an estimated $400, but not necessarily at the sales racks. "We're returning a few items and we ended up purchasing more regular-priced items than sale items," Kathy Fuentes said.

Experts say post-holiday sales and promotions will continue through much of January, when many shoppers redeem gift cards. And retailers said Wednesday they're optimistic that the holiday shopping season - expected to be the slowest in five years - will turn out moderately well thanks to the last-minute shopping rush and January gift-card sales.

Crowds resembled a busy Saturday at most places, with some retailers reporting more bustling business. "This is probably one of the busiest after-Christmas days I've seen - and this is my seventh Christmas here," said Connie Angrisani, managing partner at Brighton Collectibles at The Mall at Wellington Green.

Retailers are using print advertisements and store signage to woo consumers into their stores, where most of the merchandise on display is fresh, full-priced goods, said Cynthia Cohen, president of Strategic Mindshare, a Miami-based retail consulting firm.

"The good retailers really have managed their inventory well," said Cohen, who toured several area malls Wednesday.

At Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, many stores marked down holiday merchandise by more than 50 percent. The mall opened at 7 a.m., and crowds were thin until about noon. But early bird shoppers snagged some of the best deals: Shoppers, for instance, who made purchases before noon at Saks Off 5th store got an extra 25 percent off their entire purchase price.

At the Mall at Wellington Green, The Sharper Image was advertising half-off sales on items such as carry-on luggage, duffle bags and suede slippers.

Richard Davies, an assistant manager at The Sharper Image, said he expected a busy week because of after-Christmas markdowns. "Gift cards and sales are really keeping business alive through the end of the year," Davies said.

Although the day after Christmas is typically when shoppers return or exchange unwanted gifts, at BrandsMart, "returns weren't as busy as we expected," said Bobby Johnson, senior vice president of the electronics retailer with five South Florida stores.

Crowds of bargain shoppers showed up at BrandsMart stores by 11 a.m., he said. "We're very busy. We'll be as busy as we were last year, possibly even busier."

Amy Hutchinson, 40, of Parkland and her sister took their children to the Wellington mall in hopes of finding iPod docking stations, video games and clothes. Hutchinson said she was glad she didn't have to foot the bill for the kids' indulgences.

At the Westfield Broward Mall, parking lots were packed as shoppers rushed to make purchases before doorbuster sales at Macy's and JC Penney ended at 1 p.m.

Jessica Kelley, 26, of Sunrise was shopping with her mom and sister at JC Penney's door-buster sale. Kelley bought mostly apparel, including two T-shirts for $14 that were regularly priced at $14 each.

"As we go into January, the deals are going to get even better," in certain categories such as sweaters, said Marshall Cohen, chief industry analyst for the NPD Group. But, he said, "On the best, most sought-after stuff, you're not going to get a deal."